Female teacher sexually groomed 16-year-old school boy

A B27-year-old teacher has been sentenced to a year in prison for sexual activity with a 16-year-old pupil after she embarked on a sexual relationship with him following her grooming of him at school.

Lauren Cox, 27, of Hazelwood Heights, Oxted, on 19th May, was given twelve months for three of the counts, to run concurrently, and eight months apiece for the other two counts, also to run concurrently.

She had previously pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court on 20th April, to five counts of sexual activity with a child under 18 in a position of trust contrary to section 16 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Cox was arrested on 16 September 2015 after the pupil admitted the abuse to his parents.

His parents then contacted the head teacher of the school based in Bromley who in turn contacted social services.

The teacher had first met the child, aged 13, in 2012, just weeks after starting a job at the school and the victim said they formed a close relationship.

In January 2015 she began a sexual relationship with the boy. They would meet after school and during school holidays. She would also send explicit pictures and videos of herself to the boy.

He ended the relationship in August 2015 after his parents suspected what was going on and confronted their son who then admitted the relationship with Cox. Cox continued to message the boy and his parents informed the headmaster of the school.

The lead officer investigating the case, PC Laura Davies of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command (SOECA), said: "Cox abused her position of trust as a teacher and groomed the boy which went on to sexual abuse. The abuse has had an extremely adverse effect on the boy with his studies suffering as a result.

"Cox never once admitted the offences during police interview. She only admitted the offences subsequently because of the wealth of evidence against her.

"Cox displayed dismissive arrogance to the seriousness of the allegations against her. It's most concerning that she showed no remorse - as professionals, teachers have a specific duty of care to young people and this was abused."